Amusement and exercise device

ABSTRACT

A handling stick is provided with a plurality of adjustably disposed pegs which are adapted to extend laterally therefrom and which carry retainer elements on their outer ends; and a plurality of ground-engaging hoops are adapted to be rotatably controlled by said pegs through manipulation of the handling stick; the distance between the retainer elements carried by the pegs being spaced approximately twice the width of a single ground-engaging hoop and the adjacent surface of the handling stick.

United States Patent Spransy et al.

[451 Sept. 18, 1973 l l AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISE DEVICE [76] Inventors: Brower C. Spransy, 4516 Rynex Dr.,

Alexandria, Va. 22312; George Brower Spransy, 18 Dog Wood Acre, Chapel Hill, NC. 27514 [22] Filed: July 18, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 272,881

v[52] US. Cl. 46/220 [51] Int. Cl A63h 33/02 [58] Field of Search 46/220, 114

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,494,069 2/1970 Klimo 3,037,321 6/1962 Thomason 46/220 Primary Examine rLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever, Jr. Attorney-Robert U. Geib, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A handling stick is provided with a plurality of adjustably disposed pegs which are adapted to extend laterally therefrom and which carry retainer elements on their outer ends; and a plurality of ground-engaging hoops are adapted to be rotatably controlled by said pegs through manipulation of the handling stick; the distance between the retainer elements carried by the pegs being spaced approximately twice the width of a single ground-engaging hoop and the adjacent surface of the handling stick.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISE DEVICE It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel amusement and exercise device which possesses considerable appeal to persons of all ages and which is very simple and inexpensive. Another object is the provision of a device of the type described which is characterized by being adaptable for use in a number of different variations.

Still another object is the attainment of the foregoing advantages in a device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and durable in service.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other desirable objects and purposes, we have designed the present, preferred embodiments of the invention presented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and to which reference should be had in connection with the following detailed description, and in these drawings, for simplicity, like reference numerals have been employed to designate the same parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a handling stick with a hoop retainer on each side, and a hoop engaged by each hoop retainer, the two hoops being shown as of the same size and shape;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of stick with a dual hoop retainer extending from one side, with hoops engaged by each hoop retainer, the two hoops being of different size; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective of stick with a dual hoop retainer extending from one side, with hoops engaged by each hoop retainer and the two hoops being of the same size, (as in FIG. 1); together with a single hoop retainer extending from the other side of the stick for engagement with a single hoop on that side and wherein the last-named hoop may be of a different size (as shown) or of the same size as the two hoops on the other side of the handling stick.

Many years ago it was commonplace for children to amuse themselves by rolling a hoop with the use of a stick, and later on this was adopted to some extent by adults for purposes of exercise.

There have been numerous proposals, some since patented, for modifying the hoop, the stick or both; but so far as we are aware all of these proposals were based on the use of but a single hoop in contact with the ground.

We have found that a very amusing and particularly challenging activity may be provided by the simultaneous use of a pair of ground contacting hoops which may be rolled with but a single handling stick.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the numerals 1 and la designate a pair of hoops of substantially the same diameter; for example 16 inches and acceptably 1 inch in width. In this embodiment the hoops l and 1a are disposed on opposite sides of the stick which is represented at 3, and which is shown as provided with a series of longitudinally spaced holes 4 for receiving pegs 5 which may be L- shaped with the leg 5a of the L adapted to seat in one of the holes (4) with the foot portion thereof extending at right-angles and adapted to contact the outer face of the adjacent hoop. The term plurality of pegs, as used in the claims is intended to include a double peg as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Suitable results may be obtained with hoops which are approximately one inch in width when the L-shaped pegs 5 are of such length that when seated in one of the holes 4 its right-angular extension 5a will be approximately two inches from the adjacent face of the stick 3.

Referring to FIG. 2, a modified form of the invention is shown as comprising the use of but one side of the stick 3 ofa pair of hoops 10 and 12 which are of different diameters, say 16 inches and 8 inches respectively, and which are controlled by a pair of adjustably spaced pegs 15 which project from the same side of the stick but in substantially spaced relationship.

All of the foregoing variations and dimensions are, of course, subject to considerable variation.

It is believed manifest that with any of the embodiments referred to herein, and where two or more hoops are employed, the handling of the stick 3 will require considerable dexterity and provide a very satisfactory degree of amusement; and, of course, a certain amount of exercise.

Other, and interesting, variations include, for example, two parallel ground-engaging hoops on one side of the handling stick which may be of the same, or different, diameter; together with a third ground-engaging hoop of whatever diameter to be rolled at an angle of say 45 with respect to the others, the angular disposition of the latter being effected through the bending of the outer portion of its peg and inclusion of an inner retainer member thereon.

However, in all instances, at least two groundengaging hoops are employed in order to achieve the benefits of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement and exercise device comprising, in combination,

a plurality of ground-engaging hoops a handling stick a plurality of pegs means on the sides of said handling stick for adjustably supporting said pegs in laterally extending relationship and a retainer element on the outer end of each of said pegs the mid-portion of each of said pegs being adapted to engage the inner surface of the rim of at least one of said ground-engaging hoops the distance between the retainer element of each of said pegs and the adjacent surface of said handling stick being materially greater than the width of the ground-engaging hoop with which the peg cooperates.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the diameters of the ground-engaging hoops are substantially the same.

3. The combination of claim I wherein the diameters of the ground-engaging hoops are substantially different.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means for adjustably supporting the pegs are manifold and in spaced relationship lengthwise of the handling stick.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the diameter of one of the hoops is approximately twice the diameter of another. 

1. An amusement and exercise device comprising, in combination, a plurality of ground-engaging hoops a handling stick a plurality of pegs means on the sides of said handling stick for adjustably supporting said pegs in laterally extending relationship and a retainer element on the outer end of each of said pegs the mid-portion of each of said pegs being adapted to engage the inner surface of the rim of at least one of said groundengaging hoops the distance between the retainer element of each of said pegs and the adjacent surface of said handling stick being materially greater than the width of the ground-engaging hoop with which the peg cooperates.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the diameters of the ground-engaging hoops are substantially the same.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the diameters of the ground-engaging hoops are substantially different.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means for adjustably supporting the pegs are manifold and in spaced relationship lengthwise of the handling stick.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the diameter of one of the hoops is approximately twice the diameter of another. 